In the hospital wing - Finals Round 1 of the QLFC
by AnnieBrodieSangster
Summary: Written for the first round of the Quidditch league Fanfiction Competition Finals, oneshot. Lily has finally fallen for James, and when she visits him in the hospital wing after a Quidditch injury, she thinks she's ready to tell him. But things don't quite go to plan...


_Quidditch League Finals Round 1_

_Position: Beater 1_

_Prompts:_

_(word) blush_

_(word) bleeding_

_Task: Include the speech __'Growing up? Pfft. Who wants to do that?'_

_Word Count: 2041_

"McDonald has the ball, she dives down, down, down… Okay Mary, you can stop diving now- Oh, she's swerved expertly round Jenkinson, the Slytherin Beater, and is heading up to goal. Come on, Mary, almost there! McDonald passes to Potter, who shoots- And he's scored; that's 80-20 to Gryffindor!"

Lily looked up, the chilly wind feeling like a thousand daggers on her face. She grinned at her best friend and roommate, Mary McDonald, and gave her a supportive thumbs-up. Mary smiled back and gestured to her left. Following her pointing hand, Lily's gaze fell upon the smug face of the one and only James bloody Potter. She rolled her eyes and stuck her tongue out at Mary, before looking back down at _Magical Water Plants of the Mediterranean. _

The only reason Lily had agreed to come to the game was because it was Mary's first match as Chaser and Lily had promised to come and support her. But she suspected Mary had ulterior motives; namely, the aforementioned James Potter. Ever since Mary had started attending Quidditch Practise, she and James had grown closer and Lily was certain James had appointed her Chief of Trying To Get Lily To Go Out With Me.

Pushing all thoughts ofQuidditch, friends and Troublesome Boys from her mind and focused on the paragraph about Gillyweed.

_Gillyweed is slimy and grey-green_, Lily read silently,_ much unlike the hair of James Potter, which is a dark brown and looks so silky, it definitely isn't slimy and-_ Lily cursed under her breath. Couldn't she forget about him for a second!?

It had started weeks ago. She just couldn't get him off her _mind_. After seeing him with that girl, Patricia, in an actual _meaningful_ relationship, or at least something that resembled one, Lily realised that he wouldn't wait around for her forever. And while once that thought would have filled her with happiness, instead it awoke a dread in her that shocked her to the core. Was it possible that she, Lily Evans, might be… Might be falling for Potter?

Ever since then, Lily had realised that if he _had_ gotten over her, it was over. It was a miracle he had ever noticed a girl like her at all; he certainly wouldn't again.

So when James and Patricia had broken up a few days ago – in a massive argument in the middle of Care of Magical Creatures, if you believed the gossip – Lily had felt like a great weight had been lifted off her shoulders. And now that James had lapsed back into his obsession of Lily, she felt even happier.

The only question now was; when would she finally say yes to him? And now, to cut a long and complicated story short, Mary was now helping James to make Lily like him – which, unknown to him, was complete – _and_ helping Lily decide when to agree to go out with him.

She had been ignoring the match and the commentary, but her head shot up in surprise when she heard Taylor shout angrily into the microphone. "_No_! What a disgusting foul from Barnley to Potter! They're going down… Barnley's tangled up with Potter's broom – I'm sure that wasn't intentional, take that you Slytherin _scum_ – and they're going down. _Ouch_, that has got to hurt!" Lily stared down at the Quidditch pitch. Roberto Barnley, Slytherin Beater, was lying spread-eagled on the floor with James lying on top.

Lily joined in a large proportion of the Gryffindors in the stands, yelling abuse at Roberto. Then there was a roar of happiness from the Slytherins. For a moment, Lily thought they were cheering their Beater for taking down the Gryffindor Captain; then she realised that actually, the snitch had just been caught. By Daniel Adams, the Slytherin Seeker.

Without even knowing what she was doing, Lily found her feet carrying her down the steps, down to the pitch, being swallowed by the crowd of students swarming onto the pitch. Mary started towards her but Lily waved her away until she collapsed down next to James.

Surveying his body carefully, she was relieved to see he didn't appear mortally wounded. There was a trickle of blood on his chin, but he had probably just bit his tongue on the way down.

Barnley, however, wasn't looking so good. His leg was twisted at an unnatural angle and his head lolled back, clearly unconscious. James, meanwhile, was fully awake and seemed to be having a lot of fun lying on Roberto. Lily stood up hurriedly as Sirius came over and pulled James to his feet.

He took a couple of steps before falling to the floor. "Merlin, Potter, he got you bad," Sirius chortled and heaved James into his arms before carrying James over to the castle. Lily couldn't resist casting a levitation spell and lifting James into the air. Sirius stared in wonder for a moment, before realising it was Lily and turning round, glaring at her. "You're a wizard, Black. Remember that," Lily called to him, winking cheekily and turning quickly before he could utter some cocky remark in reply.

Later that day, Lily was in the common room, pretending to read. She had given up long ago, her thoughts always going back to James, lying on his bed in the hospital wing. Mary was sitting on the sofa next to her, staring intently at the fire.

"Go and see him," she blurted suddenly. Lily sighed and put down her book. She was fairly sure Mary knew she was faking, anyway.

Lily turned to look at her best friend. "No," she said, simply. Mary rolled her eyes. "I will not go and see him," Lily continued, "Because then everybody will know that-" she paused and looked furtively round the common room. "Well, they'll get suspicious, won't they? And start asking questions. And next thing you know, the whole school thinks we're getting married a week on Thursday. Trust me," Lily sighed.

"Just go and see him, Lily. I know you want to," Mary said, smiling knowingly. "I can read you like a Transfiguration book, Lily Evans."

"Well _I_ think Transfiguration books are really confusing," Lily grumbled, but Mary could see that she had given in. "Fine," she sighed and stood up. "Just look after my book, will you?"

Without waiting for a reply, Lily turned and walked to the portrait hole. "I hope you're happy now," she said, glaring playfully at Mary, before stepping through.

Mary smiled. "Oh, I'm very happy now," she said quietly to herself.

Lily stood at the door to the hospital wing, watching his chest rise and fall gently. He looked so peaceful, lying there, asleep. The tranquil silence was disturbed, however, when his eyes shot open a moment later. "Pomfrey!" he screeched. Madame Pomfrey, the school nurse, appeared a moment later, bustling over to James.

"What is it, Potter? There is absolutely nothing wrong with you. _Please_ leave," she said. Lily could hear the pleading in her voice. Maybe James wasn't the most peaceful patient, after all. It _had_ sounded uncharacteristically nice.

James stared at Madame Pomfrey, looking comically wounded. "How dare you suggest that I am not ill – That I am merely leeching on your hospitality and using my injuries, which are quite real, I assure you, as an escape from the taunting, mockery and shame that await me when I get back to Gryffindor Tower. Honestly, Pompom. I am _disgusted _you would even _hint_ at such a thing!"

"You're right, clearly you are in need of immediate medical attention," Pomfrey said dryly. James nodded sarcastically.

"So, could I get some more-"

"No, sorry, we're all out of those."

James narrowed his eyes. "Fine. I'll just go back to sleep then."

Madame Pomfrey glanced at the door and saw Lily hovering there uncertainly. "Oh, there's no need for that," she gestured for Lily to come in. "It looks like you have a visitor," she winked at Lily and walked back into her office.

Staring at Lily in amazement, James struggled to find words to say. "Lily?" he choked finally. "What- What are you _doing_ here?"

Lily looked down at her shoes. "Mary wanted to know how you were doing," she lied, hoping James couldn't see the blush spreading to her cheeks. If he did, he didn't comment on it.

"Why didn't she come to see me herself? Not bothered to get up to visit her dying Quidditch Captain, I see?" he pulled a mock-insulted face. "The cheek of some people."

_Why_ did she like him? James Potter was the most arrogant, insolent, ridiculous idiot in the history of the world! "Oh will you just _grow up_? There is absolutely nothing wrong with you!" she screeched.

James, to his credit, looked taken aback for a moment before he regained his cool, care-free composure. "Growing up? Pfft. Who wants to do that?" he said. "Anyway, I _am_ injured! I'm _bleeding_!" he held up his hand, which had a tiny scratch on it with a trickle of dried blood.

Lily rolled her eyes. Her sudden spurt of anger had left her in that exclamation. "Whatever," she said. James grinned.

"So where's Mary?" he asked.

Frowning, Lily cocked her head to the side. "In the common room. Why?" Dread filled her. What if James loved Mary, not her? What if he wanted to know where she was so he could go and tell her how he felt? Lily suddenly felt weak and sat down suddenly on the end of James' bed.

"I was just wondering why she couldn't come. Cause you said she asked you to come for her," he said, shrugging. "Doesn't matter. Well, you can tell her I'm fine."

Lily nodded slowly. "Okay," she said. But she stayed where she was, sitting on the bed.

James frowned. He raised an eyebrow at Lily, but she just looked back, unaware of his confusion. _Why was she still here? _He thought. _She would never want to spend any more time with _me_ than she has to._

"You can go, if you want," he said, sighing. "It's fine." He was used to her ignoring him by now.

She shrugged nonchalantly. "It's not like I've got anything better to do," she said.

"Oh," James said. "Okay," he sounded calm, but on the inside, his mind was spinning. Lily Evans, _wanting_ to stay? _Wanting_ to stay with _him_? What did she have to gain? Was she about to prank him? James almost laughed at the thought. As _if_.

Mary was sitting in the common room, feeling thoroughly pleased with herself. Lily had been in the hospital wing for at least an hour. She could imagine them now, lying next to each other on James' bed, admitting to the feelings they had both been harbouring for far too long.

So she was very upset when Lily burst through the door a moment later, her face flushed and her cheeks wet with tears. Mary leapt up and rushed over to her. "Lily! What happened?" she asked, putting her arm around the crying girl and leading her to the sofa.

"James," she said, in between sobs, "he hasn't actually," she gulped for air and tried to wipe her cheeks dry.

Mary, as impatient as ever, practically shook Lily. "He hasn't _what_?"

"He's still with Patricia!" she cried. Mary froze.

"What?" she asked, feeling numb. "Are you sure? Wow, I can't believe that jerk. What happened?"

Lily led Mary upstairs to their dormitory and proceeded to recount the afternoon's events to her. By the end, Mary was furious. "Please," Lily finished, "don't make me go and see him again."

Mary shook her head, looking disgusted by even the idea. "Of course not. I won't talk to him again either, if that helps." Lily smiled gratefully at her friend. "Except at Quidditch practise," she added. Lily rolled her eyes. "Which won't be much. _That_ I can promise," Mary winked and Lily forced a laugh. Despite Mary's shock at James' actions, she was still trying to cheer Lily up above all else, and Lily was grateful to her friend.

"I'm going to get some sleep," Lily told Mary. "Night," she said, yawning.

Mary nodded. "We'll sort it all out, Lils," she said. "I promise that, too."

**A/N: Not sure, might extend to a full story? In which case this will probably be a prologue. **


End file.
